Easter Greetings From The Peasant

To all my wonderful and cherished readers, 

your appreciative and faithful Peasant wishes 

all of you a Happy Easter and all the joys of 

the day! You are my presents at Easter and 

always!

MEM

A Word for My Fellow Badger Staters: VOTE!!!

A word of great import to Wisconsin conservatives

concerning the election on Tuesday, April 7:

The April 7 election is crucial for our state, with 

the effects from its results to be with us for quite 

some time to come. With the Wisconsin State 

Supreme Court currently at a 4-3 liberal advantage

and conservative justice Rebecca Bradley retiring, 

and a left-wing judge who would make perhaps the

most politically left-leaning justice ever to be on the

state's highest court running, fueled by record-setting

campaign contributions from wealthy liberals on both

the east and west coasts, Wisconsin Appeals Court 

Judge Christine Taylor will face Judge Maria Lazar, 

also an Appeals Court judge and a solidly conservative

jurist in the rapidly approaching election. A few items

of note: Judge Lazar is far behind in raising funds for 

her efforts while Lazar is rolling in the green. 

Personally, your fair-play supporting Peasant detests 

out of state fund contributions to candidates for local

and statewide offices, and this sort of strategy has been

integral to the success of Democrat and independent 

left-wingers in Wisconsin elections, but as there is no 

law against it then our side has to engage in same to 

some degree. 

But what has hurt conservative candidates the most in

some of these elections, particularly those for our 

state's high court, has been the failure of many conservative

voters sitting out those elections because of reasons ranging

from "President Trump/a Trump-endorsed candidate isn't 

on the ballot" to "I don't pay much or any attention to any

of the (non-national) off-year elections". To think that if we

had healthy turnouts like we did when Scott Walker ran for 

governor and when Donald Trump ran for the presidency

we could still have had a 5-2 conservative edge on the highest

court in the state! 

If Judge Taylor were to get on the court we would be saying 

goodbye to Gov. Walker's Act 10, which had cut the influence

of labor unions in the funding of public works and other state 

departments which has all this while been keeping taxes at

reasonable, easier-to-handle levels for Wisconsin taxpayers,

not just the upper-level earners but the middle-class earners

as well. We would furthermore be bidding state government's

meddling in parents' rights to get the counselling and the 

treatments they deem necessary for their sexually-confused 

children (boys thinking they are girls and vice-versa). 

This last concern also affects school athletics, mandating that

boys who think they are girls play on the girl's teams, never mind

that they have greater musculature and strength which could

seriously injure female athletes. In addition, such boys would be

allowed by mandate to be able to use the girl's rest rooms.

Your faithful Peasant could give many more such reasons as well

as reasons pertaining to other subjects of concern but for the 

lack of time and room to accommodate them.

Judge Lazar has stated many times in her campaign that she would 

be an interpreter of the law, rather than a legislator on the bench.

She also has a track record of pro-life rulings on abortion-related

cases while on the appellate court. Finally, Judge Lazar is no fan 

of allowing governmental units create red tape which would ensnare 

businesses, making difficulties for them to expand and to create more 

jobs. Wisconsin would resemble our neighboring states such as 

Illinois and Minnesota, which have solidly liberal governments

and a veritable lock on their states, causing many residents and some

businesses to flee to lower- and fewer-taxed states such as Florida 

and Texas. This would erode the state's tax base, making it harder

for Democrat governments to collect the tax revenue that they

would need for their programs and plans.

And what about backing for local police forces? Your frightful Peasant

Shudders to think about the consequences. Especially with our State 

Supremes being elected to ten-year terms. 

But all this could be avoided with our more fair and manageable costs 

of governance and its effects on the cost of living in Wisconsin, along

with fairer business regulations and certainly fairer criminal justice 

laws and support for our law enforcement people remaining intact 

and safe from the whims of a liberal state supreme court. But this 

won't happen if we all don't do one simple, painless thing which 

would be needed to preserve these benefits of living in Wisconsin;

We all must vote. Vote like our future as a state and as individual 

citizens depend on it, because they do. If you don't vote, you still 

will have voted, for if you choose not to decide at your polls you

still have chosen. 

Don't let the other side win by forfeit. One simple, easy act will keep

them at bay, and we will keep our great way of life: 

VOTE! DAMMIT, VOTE!

MEM

 

If I Had a Tooth With That Nerve ...

In the state of New York there has been, and still is, a mass

exodus of high earners leaving for states with much lower 

tax rates, and fewer taxes as well. Income taxes, sales taxes,

taxes for this, that, and the other have gone on a rocket ride

in recent years. In that period of time these financially 

successful people, wanting to protect their considerable fruits

of their industry, have spoken out against the state government

of New York railing against their frequently being assessed 

more and higher taxes; after all, they had worked long and 

hard to amass their rewards of their work. 

Katherine Hochul has been governor of New York in recent 

years, and has targeted these industrious citizens of this state

unrelentingly. Her response to these fed up businesspeople?

"Just jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you 

belong, OK? Get out of town!" Florida is also a very low-tax

state. and in fact has no state income tax. The exodus, already

underway, had picked up steam in the wake of her arrogant 

words. So many big earners have fled the Empire State for

Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and other states 

with less rapacious taxation of individuals and businesses

that Gov. Hochul can no longer fund her state's social programs

as easily as she once could. "Maybe the first step should be to 

go down to Palm Beach and see who you could bring back home (!)."

It's hard, of course, to find what Gov. Hochul calls "patriotic

millionaires" who would return to New York to once again pay

the costs for the burgeoning social giveaway social programs

there (!!). 

Now folks, I have been a follower of our political scene for sixty

years --- man and boy. I have followed the news about the political

movers and shakers at all levels of government. I met some of 

these people, from school board members to a Vice President of

the United States. I have read about some eyebrow-raising, and to

be sure, some blood pressure-increasing things that some of these 

people have said or done. I have seen acts and have read and heard 

words of sheer arrogance, thoughtlessness, stupidity, cowardice,

double-dealing, hypocrisy, and vapidity. But what Gov. Hochul 

had said to the wealthy escapees, especially the pleading for them

to return to New York, wallets open, to "patriotically" give up a

large portion of their rightful earnings to fund her giveaway programs

is the all-time prize winner! How would you, my grand readers, each 

like to have a tooth with her nerve?

Must we now go over what the differences are between successful folk 

keeping more of their hard-earned rewards of their hard work, and a

greedy, grasping, grabbing, gobbling government which claims to 

know how best to allocate the tax revenue which comes in at an 

ever-increasing flow every year? The efficiencies of the former in 

job creation and career opportunities, and the resultant creation of 

new sources of revenue from an increase of employment and in 

the provision of goods and services, and a stagnated economy in 

which there are fewer employers and employees resulting in 

less goods and services provided while the government picks up 

more and more employees whose pay and benefits come from the 

tax revenues from the private sector despite its shrunken state and 

weakened shape, causing a slowing economic state of being all around?

These are things which half-wit Hochul has either forgotten or has 

never learned.

And her warping the meaning of the word "patriotic" to fit her selfish, 

short-sightened ends aren't aiding her sorry cause. She should learn  

what it means to be truly patriotic. Your helpful Peasant can assist 

Hochul here:

"Patriotism: The feeling of love, devotion, and a sense of attachment to 

one's country or state. This attachment can be a combination of dif- 

ferent feelings for things such as the language of one's homeland, and 

its cultural, political, or historical aspects."      Wikipedia

Notice that there is no mention of the urge to let the government take 

a significant portion of one's earnings. Furthermore, bear in mind that 

the top 1% of income earners already pay anywhere from 40% - 50%  

of the federal income taxes; they don't need to be mugged again by 

their home states. 

Finally, if anyone actually believes that the love or devotion 

for one's country or state includes wanting to let its government tax 

one into oblivion is a form of patriotism then that person is a prize fool!

MEM

 

Another Cluster of Events!

You're going to be quite sore at me for this, but I am not 

going to be able to get together with you this week or next. 

Among the things claiming space on my schedule are

some friends and one family member, all from Ireland,

coming in and of course we're going to get together. 

We see each other every one or two years, which is 

come to town on tour to play; they are the High Kings 

and we're closely knit, having known each other 

for years.  

I'm also attending a memorial service for a friend 

who was a well-known member of our Greater Celtic

Community, being a musician in a local band that plays

Irish and other Celtic world music, and another friend

who was a fellow parishioner at my church who was

fatally injured in a car accident. I also have some 

medical appointments which will make sure that I

will not yet have my memorial service! No, I kid 

about that last bit, I have the medical appointments

but of late my doctors have given me some good 

reports on the state of my physical health. Now if I 

could just lose some weight ... but I'm grateful for the 

news that I shall be around for quite some time to come.

Furthermore, I shall be celebrating Saint Patrick's Day

at my favorite Irish pub, O'Donoghue's, in nearby Elm Grove

with more friends, including the proprietor Jamie O'Donoghue

who with his family runs the pub. Also, I'll be attending 

a meeting of the debate club I belong to, the Anti-Echo Chamber.

I will, of course, be busy preparing my argument regarding a

political topic. I never hurry with them; I always take my time

so as to craft my argument thoroughly and carefully, adding 

pertinent points and presenting them in a clear, sharp, and 

forceful manner. I'm having a ball with my fellow debaters,

and I only wish I could have gotten into debating sooner 

in life, but I don't mind being a 68-year-old rookie debater

and am enjoying every minute of it.

Tax time is here too, and The Peasant shall get together with 

my tax preparer and accountant, a good friend and fellow 

parishioner at my church.

Finally, I want to grab some time before it escapes me so I can 

write some letters to some family members and friends which I

have put off for far too long. So I have a full plate, as you all 

can see. But fear not, as your faithful Peasant shall be with you

again by around the end of this month of March. Thank you all 

for your patience, your understanding, and your kind indulgence.

I'll make it worth your while!

MEM

Lou Holtz, R.I.P.

The Peasant didn't play football in college, as I concentrated

on other activities and of course my studies. But if I wanted

to play football at that level I would have wanted Lou Holtz

for my coach.

Coach Lou Holtz had a wonderful way of developing players

and making them confident in their abilities and their game

without constantly being on their backs, berating and bellowing

all the while, as some coaches are wont to do. Holtz rarely got

angry at a player, only when the player did something 

monumentally stupid. Coach Holtz, a native of West Virginia,

had a homespun sense of humor and of viewing life which he 

passed along to his players, his coaching staffs, and to his

audiences he spoke to when he was on the lecture circuit.

Holtz kept football fun, and made it more so for not only his 

teams, but for the fans.

After some years as an assistant coach for the renown Ohio State

coach Woody Hayes, Coach Holtz was a head coach for six 

college teams and one NFL team, the New York Jets. While not

so successful at New York (the Jets won all of three games in his 

only season) he compiled a record of 249-132-7 in the college

ranks with his greatest success in reinvigorating Notre Dame's

program resulting in 100 wins and a national title in 1988,

going undefeated that season. It was the Fighting Irish's last

time they went undefeated as well as having won the NCAA-I

football crown. He left his position as the head coach there,

stating that he accomplished all that he wanted to and didn't want

to "maintain the program anymore", rather than growing it.

Seeing no room for that growth, he left and became the head coach

at South Carolina, taking a weak team with a weak program and 

getting it into bowl games which they won.

After retiring, Coach Holtz had more time for public speaking 

and was highly regarded as a motivational speaker, addressing 

business folk, athletes, athletic coaches and educators among

other audiences. One of his most famous sayings was what he

told many an audience: "You're never as good as everyone tells 

you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when 

you lose." He used this gem of wisdom to keep his players'

spirits up and their egos in check.

The coach was a devout Catholic, and therefore was a good fit

for Notre Dame, both the football team and the university.

Coach Holtz entered a hospice a few weeks earlier, and passed 

away there yesterday at 89. Lou Holtz left a legacy of success

tempered by humility, gratitude, enthusiasm, positivity, and 

love for the game, his teams, his family, and his friends, of 

which he had many. He was also very patriotic, and was a 

staunch conservative who was once seriously considered for

public office by the Republican Party. He was a supporter of

President Donald J. Trump, and had a warm friendship with

him. Godspeed Coach! Now you are coaching the saints (and I

don't mean New Orleans!) to gridiron success. 

Requiescat in pace. 

MEM

Mamdani's Bank-Breaking (and Back-Breaking) Budget

Socialist Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor in New York

city in a landslide. And boy does he know that "To the victor 

goes the spoils"; he is certainly living it up enjoying the 

spoils. Right off the bat Mamdani is threatening to raise NYC 

property taxes unless the Democrats in Albany hike taxes on 

top earners and businesses. In other words, plunder the wealthy 

for Mamdani or Hizzoner will plunder them and the middle

class to boot. 

Mayor Mamdani's first budget for the Big Apple is a big budget;

$127 billion. He had the unmitigated gall to call his budget 

"austere" (!). It's a $10 billion increase over this year's budget.

Never mind that New York, both the city and the state, are 

swimming in tax revenue because of huge capital-gains 

realizations and Wall Street bonuses, tax collections haven't 

matched political spending and government employee benefits.

Mamdani stated that NYC is staring in the face of a $5 billion

deficit. But wait 'til you read the next paragraph in this post

to see some of the things on his wish list! 

What does Mamdani desire?  He wants to increase taxes on the

aforementioned top earners and businesses, using some of the swag 

to do even more spending than that already being done by Gotham.

The increased spending would be for universal child care, free buses,

buying or starting grocery stores and have them run by the municipal

government (!!) so as to have low prices on food for NYC's lower-

income people (so what's happened with EBT cards?) and other 

socialistic pipe dreams. As it currently is, the top 1% of New York

City's earners pay almost half of all the city's income taxes.

And Mamdani says they are not paying their fair share? What, 

pray tell Mayor Mamdani, is this "fair share" that you allude to?

60%? 75%? 90%? All of it ??? You would, in effect, make it all

but illegal to make and keep substantial income revenues!

Mamdani self-righteously states "I believe the wealthiest individuals

and most profitable corporations should contribute a little more 

so that everyone can live lives of dignity," This notion has long been

the rationale for raising taxes on not only the wealthy but the middle 

class of NYC as well, and what is there to show for it in the quality

of life for the lower-income New Yorkers? They are still down in 

the pocket, still struggling to pay their rent, to buy food, to pay 

for medicine and medical care, and so on. And they're not living 

in any significantly upgraded homes nor any new, more comfortable

homes. Besides, NYC rents are astronomical. So what gives? 

Ah, but the new mayor has a solution for the housing troubles: 

the creation of 200,000 new, "permanently affordable" housing 

units (?!). Union-made, of course. What's he going to do, 

implement another round of rent control? Some relevant facts:

rent control has a pretty dim history due to a lousy track record.

And who will be the landlords? The run-down areas of the city

have fallen into this sorry state because the property owners could

not afford necessary maintenance, with rent control making it 

difficult to raise rents to get the necessary funds. Finally, the artificially

lower rents will have to rise sooner or later, and when they do they

find their efficient cost levels the rents will be greatly higher 

than what most low-income renters can afford.

Meanwhile, top earners and businesses are starting to pack up and 

move out of both the city and the state, leaving for states with more

sensible, affordable, and reasonable tax rates and fewer taxes to pay.

The self-proclaimed "progressives" they are leaving behind are 

wondering why so many people are fleeing the New Yorks for 

greener pastures and less financial confiscation. They just don't get it.

Their hero the mayor certainly doesn't grasp what is happening here.

His very obvious goal is to raise public pressure on Albany to stick it

to bigger earners: "We do not want to have to turn to such drastic

measures to balance our budget," Mamdani said of his threatened 

property tax hike. Now pull the other one, Mister Mayor, it's got bells

on it! And balancing the city's budget is the least of Mamdani's 

concerns. If he would exercise some spending discipline and restraint,

he wouldn't need to jack up any taxes in his city. Simply keeping 

spending flat would eliminate 2026's budget deficit. But don't bet on

his doing that.

Remember when New York City went broke in the '70s, and begged 

Washington for a handout to help? Mayor Mamdani might make 

New York so broke that it would make the '70s look like boom times.

Such is socialism, and such are socialists.

MEM 

Bridgitte Bardot, R.I.P.

Bridgitte Bardot's heyday was when I was a mere boy, but I was

certainly aware of her, even having never seen any of her movies

(I still haven't). She was one of the world's most beautiful women;

I certainly saw that, even though I was not of the age where I could

more greatly appreciate this fact. The lady was an internationally

acclaimed film actress, and had retired from acting while at her

most famous and most beautiful, having appeared in movies for 

twenty years. In a later stage of her life, Bardot took up the cause 

of animal rights, especially harp seals in the Arctic which were 

relentlessly hunted. Strong opinions were also a part and parcel of 

the model-turned-actress; in 2000 her commentary on Islam and 

on homosexuality got her in trouble with the French government,

which socked this French conservative with fines on five separate 

occasions for incitement. But through it all, Brigitte Bardot was 

always and unapologetically herself --- living her life in that very

fashion. No apologies, no regrets. Departed at 91. Au revoir, Bridgitte.

Requiescat in pace. 

MEM